Supervisors briefly discuss civilian review board, agree to hold public meeting

During a work session Tuesday night, Henrico supervisors briefly discussed a potential civilian review board for the county’s division of police but agreed to save more detailed conversations about the topic for a public meeting they’ll host sometime next month.

That meeting – for which a date hasn’t yet been set – likely will include a chance for citizens to provide comments in person and for supervisors to pose questions to police, mental health and other county officials.

Supervisors are weighing the idea of establishing a civilian review board, which could evaluate claims of misconduct by police. Hundreds of other localities nationwide have considered or implemented similar boards recently, in light of the death of George Floyd and subsequent calls for equality.

Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson proposed the idea for Henrico last month and said he came to Tuesday’s meeting prepared to have a detailed discussion about it.

Instead, supervisors heard about a 25-minute presentation from Henrico Internal Audit Director Vaughan Crawley (who provided a summary of the 300 citizen comments submitted so far about the topic) and then weighed in only briefly with some thoughts of their own during the next half hour before adjourning to their scheduled 7 p.m. public meeting.

Nearly half of those who have submitted comments through the county’s website or through an email address (civilianreviewboard@henrico.us) created specifically to receive such comments indicated support for such a board, Crawley said. About one-quarter expressed opposition, and about 28% indicated no preference, he said.

The county will continue accepting input in written form through Friday.

Nelson told the four other supervisors that he believes there is a need for such a board, based upon what he’s heard from constituents during the nearly nine years he’s been in office.

“Maybe my colleagues on the board don’t hear it, but I hear it – Black and brown people don’t trust the police locally, to a greater degree,” said Nelson, who is Black. “Not all, but many don’t. If they did, then they wouldn’t have to tell their kids how to act every time they get pulled over by police because they’re afraid. This is real stuff, and it’s not anti-police – it’s the world that we live in.

Citing a number of negative comments submitted by citizens that named Nelson and suggested that he was anti-police, Nelson said such sentiments were hurtful – and that he also has heard them from some within the division of police.

“I’m not anti-police, but I am pro-citizen rights,” he said. “Not one vote in eight years have I voted against anything that police said they needed to do their job.”

Brookland District Supervisor Dan Schmitt told Nelson that he looked forward to an in-depth discussion about the topic and that he had more questions than answers about the concept of a review board. He also said he understood Nelson’s frustration.

“I was hurt as well seeing your name on those emails,” Schmitt said. “I know how I felt, and it probably was a percentage of how you felt.”

County Manager John Vithoulkas suggested that supervisors delay taking any action on the potential board formation until after the General Assembly reconvenes Aug. 18 for a special session, since state legislators may address the topic at that time.

At their work session Tuesday, Henrico supervisors were in agreement that a more in-depth discussion – one that likely would last much longer than the 30 minutes of available time they had before Tuesday’s public meeting – was necessary.

"I think we need to have a dialogue," said Fairfield Supervisor Frank Thornton, the board’s only other Black member. "I'm looking at this as, 'What is best for Henrico County?'"

Tuckahoe District Supervisor Pat O’Bannon asked for a presentation about the process currently in place within the division of police to identify and review allegations of potential misconduct. (The division’s internal review section routinely reviews all use-of-force incidents involving officers, Henrico Police Lt. Matt Pecka told the Citizen earlier this month. Police Chief Hum Cardounel also established an advisory committee two years ago.)

O’Bannon wondered aloud whether an option that didn’t involve a civilian review board could achieve the same desired results.

Nelson said he doubted so.

”We’re going to get some answers from police, but unless we bring in citizens, we’re not going to get full answers – that’s the problem that I hear from citizens,” he said. “I’m trying to trust the process – not just nationally, but even here locally – and the process locally has failed us. Without getting into specific things, that is the reason why I am fully behind this.

“I feel like. . . giving citizens an opportunity to be a part of a process if there is excessive use of force. . . I think that’s the only way you’re going to be able to rebuild trust.”